Publications List

Guidebook for Families on Reducing Suicide Risk

Mental Illness and Suicide - A Family Guide to Facing and Reducing the Risks is the result of a joint initiative of the World Federation for Mental Health and the World Fellowship for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders that begun just prior to their merger. The work includes a Guide which stands alone; a Facilitator's Handbook for those wishing to use the Guide as the basis for a workshop, and a CD containing all the materials in both English and Spanish.

The overarching goals for the guide are:

• To help reduce the risk of suicide among people living with serious
mental illnesses through focusing on informing families/ caregivers

• To build awareness and skills among family caregivers of people living
with serious mental illness

• To introduce preventative support systems to families in all parts
of the world (serving families and caregivers in both developed and
developing countries)

• To recognize the emotional distress and trauma from suicide and suicide
attempts that is common to all families no matter where they live.

We consulted with family and consumer organizations and searched the
internet for materials relevant to families and consumers. We interviewed
families that had lost someone to suicide and those who had lived through
an attempt. We also consulted with those who had lived through an
attempt themselves.

We did not want the guide to have the feel of a text book. Our aim was to
appear to talk comfortably with anyone for whom the title held interest.
The guide begins with “talking about suicide” and puts forward the
questionnaire that we had previously tested. From there the guide goes
on to trying to understand why people take their lives and to seek to
know what is going on in their minds.

Practically everyone who has learned anything at all about suicide knows
the words “risk factors” and “triggers” are significant. The guide divides
these into internal (emotions and feelings) and external (events and
influences) and discusses ways to divert or overcome these. Proactive
ways of helping to avoid suicide are discussed, as well as what happens
after a suicide attempt and bereavement after a suicide. There are
appendices listing books, articles and websites relevant to the subject
and a list of programs around the globe that can help people in distress.

The project was put together by Diane Froggatt, former executive director
of the World Fellowship for Schizophrenia and Allied Disorders (WFSAD).
Thanks to Gail Grossman, M.D. for her Spanish translation.

The major funder for the project was H.
Lundbeck A/S to whom we offer our sincere thanks.

Families as Partners in Mental Health Care: A Guidebook for Implementing
Family Work by Diane Froggatt, Grainne Fadden, Dale L. Johnson, Margaret
Leggatt and Radha Shankar.

From the back cover:

This guidebook is written by people with an enormous commitment to those who have psychiatric illnesses and their families. In a down-to-eath way it describes how professionals can involve themselves in working with families of their clients for better relationships and superior outcome. Terms such as psychoeducation, family interventions, etc. are not well understood even in the mental health field, despite decades of positive research. The aim of this book is to inform and motivate more people and more mental health services to adopt and implement family work as a part of basic care for those they treat and care for.

It is for all those who are involved with the care of people with mental health problems: psychiatrists, psychologists, nurses, social workers, occupational therapists and other health professionals, as well as policy makers, service managers, families, carers and persons themselves who are unwell.

(2012)The guidebook is temporarily out of print in North America but is available in Australia/New Zealand through

Excerpt from a review in Australasian Psychiatry Vol 16, No.5 October 2008 by internationally known Professor Helen Herrman:

. . . The book succeeds in its aim to provide a simple and clear guide to family work for all those involved in the care of people with mental illness: psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health nurses, social workers and other mental health professionals along with policy-makers, service managers, families, carers and persons with experience of mental health problems. It provides encouragement as well as a guide. After reading this many will see the value and the possibility of using family work, as well as the possibility of undertaking its adaptation and evaluation in a range of settings. Others will be encouraged by the work of WFSAD in supporting the development of family self-help groups and the role of family members in service development. I recommend it highly to all those working and training in psychiatry and mental health services, and to the mangers and policy-makers in our countries and beyond.

Excerpt from a review in the ISPS(International Society for the Psychological Treatments of the Schizophrenias and other Psychoses) February Newsletter by Alex Reed:

. . . this book therefore couldn’t be more timely. Edited by an impressive international team who bring vast experience and passion to the task, it includes contributions from around the globe. It is striking, (and perhaps says something about the fairly homogenous culture of psychiatry), that although the contributors are writing from different countries, all of the chapters have relevance for a UK readership. . .

The book is inspiring in that it is crammed full of practical advice about how to influence the culture of mental health services towards family inclusiveness. . .

This highly readable and inspiring book is a major contribution to the field, directly addressing the complexities of implementation and compellingly re-asserting the requirement for family involvement and family work to be at the centre rather than the margins of psychiatric care. It needs to be read widely and should be required reading on training programmes for all mental health staff.

Pamphlets and Information Papers

Below is the complete list of our information papers on schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder and schizo-affective disorder. These papers and booklets will inform you about the possible causes, the symptoms and the treatment of the disorders. They will also assist carers and people with mental illness, giving them information on living, coping and dealing day-to-day with these conditions.

Download: You may download many of our information papers in English. See the box below for papers in Russian. For Spanish pamphlets go to our Spanish section.

Books and Websites: You can also see our Resource Section for information about recommended books and websites.

Some of the publications are only available in PDF format. To view and read these files, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader.

Information Papers:

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Booklet #1 Information for Families: About Schizophrenia; How to Behave; Maintaining Your Own Health; Taking Medications and PORT Medication Table for Schizophrenia

Articles Online

We hope that you have found the information on our website helpful. This
educational material comes to you through our not-for-profit
organization. We hope that you will wish to make a donation
on site.

WORLD FELLOWSHIP FOR SCHIZOPHRENIA AND ALLIED DISORDERS
Mail only: 19 MacPherson Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, M5R 1W7, Canada
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